There are 175[1] state parks and 9 state trails in the U.S. state of Florida which encompass more than 800000acres, providing recreational opportunities for both residents and tourists.
Almost half of the state parks have an associated local 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation, often styled, "Friends of State Park, Inc.". In 2015, some 29,356 volunteers donated nearly 1.3 million hours to enhance the parks for approximately 31 million visitors. There is a mostly nominal admission to nearly all Florida's state parks, although separate fees are charged for the use of cabins, marinas, campsites, etc. Florida's state parks offer 3,613 family campsites, 186 cabins, thousands of picnic tables, 100miles of beaches, and over of trails.
The Florida Park Service is the division of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection responsible for the operation of Florida State Parks, and won the Gold Medal honoring the best state park system in the country in 1999 and 2005 from the National Recreation and Park Association. They were also finalists in the 1997 and 2011 competitions.[2] The Park Service was awarded the gold medal again in October 2013, making it the only three-time winner.[3] [4] In 2019, they received the gold medal award again, resulting in them being the first four-time winner.[5] The parks are open year-round and offer diverse activities beyond fishing, hiking and camping. Many parks offer facilities for birding or horseback riding; there are several battle reenactments; and freshwater springs and beaches are Florida's gems. According to the Florida Park Service website, their goal "is to help create a sense of place by showing park visitors the best of Florida's diverse natural and cultural sites. Florida's state parks are managed and preserved for enjoyment by this and future generations through providing appropriate resource-based recreational opportunities, interpretation and education that help visitors connect to the Real Florida."[6]
Several state parks were formerly private tourist attractions purchased by the state of Florida to preserve their natural environment. These parks include the Silver Springs State Park, Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park, Rainbow Springs State Park, and Weeki Wachee Springs.There are state parks in 58 of Florida's 67 counties.[7] Nine of the 175 parks do not have "State Park" in their name. Four are "conservation areas" (reserve, preserve, or wildlife refuge); three are "Historical/Archaeological sites"; one is a fishing pier and one is a recreation area. Seven parks are mostly undeveloped with few or no facilities; 10 parks are accessible only by private boat or ferry; and 13 parks contain National Natural Landmarks.[8] Additionally, there are eleven national parks and service sites in Florida locations[9] under control of the National Park Service.[10]
Florida State Parks are supported by tax dollars (document stamps), user fees, and to a much smaller extent charitable contributions. Many state parks have an associated local non-profit corporation. Most parks charge an entrance fee. Residents can purchase an annual entrance pass that is valid at any of the parks. Camping is available in campsites in some of the parks. All reservations for park facilities are handled through the private corporation ReserveAmerica. The Florida State Parks website (floridastateparks.org) provides an updated online guide to all parks.
Note: The table of contents only applies when the list is sorted by park name.
| Park Name | County or Counties | Size | Year Established | Water Body(s) | Image | Remarks | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| acres (54.43 ha) | 1939 | Ruins of a 19th-century plantation owned by John Addison | ||||||||||||
| acres (2,556 ha) | 1996 | Former phosphorus strip mine unremediated[12] | ||||||||||||
| acres (478 ha) | 1954 | Originally named Killearn Gardens State Park[13] | ||||||||||||
| acres (3,266 ha) | 1991 | unnamed ponds | Home to rare scrub habitat for wildlife | |||||||||||
| acres (93 ha) | 1983 | Horseback riding is permitted on the beach | ||||||||||||
| acres (648 ha) | 1949 | Hurricane Dora connected Anastasia Island and Conch Island in 1964 | ||||||||||||
| acres (163 ha) | 1997 | Gulf of Mexico | Accessible only by ferry or boat[14] | |||||||||||
| acres (263 ha) | 1987 | Used for frogman training during World War II | ||||||||||||
| acres (212 ha) | 1961 | An island in the lower Florida Keys | ||||||||||||
| acres (1,646 ha) | 1999 | Amphibious landing exercises held during World War II | ||||||||||||
| acres (2 ha) | 1973 | Oldest house in Coconut Grove; built in 1891[15] | ||||||||||||
| acres (285 ha) | 1977 | Start of the Great Florida Birding Trail | ||||||||||||
| acres (1,528 ha) | 1989 | Largest whitewater Class III rapids in Florida | ||||||||||||
| acres (648 ha) | 1949 | Part of Talbot Islands State Parks | ||||||||||||
| acres (162 ha) | 1967 | Home to the Cape Florida Light on Key Biscayne | ||||||||||||
| acres (239 ha) | 1967 | Blackwater River | Home to 1982 Florida Champion Atlantic white cedar tree | |||||||||||
| acres (1,053 ha) | 1972 | Largest spring on the St. Johns River and a designated manatee refuge | ||||||||||||
| acres (2,268 ha) | 1981 | Bulow Creek | 400-year-old Fairfield oak and 11 plantation sites | |||||||||||
| acres (61 ha) | 1945 | Bulow Creek | Extensive stone ruins[16] | |||||||||||
| acres (992 ha) | 1966 | Ferry available, 108-slip marina[17] | ||||||||||||
| acres (75 ha) | 1996 | Day use park formerly used as private resort | ||||||||||||
| acres (983 ha) | 1976 | Accessible only by ferry or boat - primitive cabins[18] | ||||||||||||
| acres (2,036 ha) | 1978 | Very limited facilities | ||||||||||||
| acres (8 ha) | 1960 | The St. Clair Whitman house depicts life in Cedar Key circa 1920 | ||||||||||||
| acres (17,220 ha) | 1978 | Very limited facilities | ||||||||||||
| acres (2,604 ha) | 1947 | National Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark, the Bay City Walking Dredge used to build the Tamiami Trail through the Everglades | ||||||||||||
| acres (2,052 ha) | 2007 | several small lakes and creeks | Part of the Green Swamp Wilderness Preserve | |||||||||||
| acres (5 ha) | 1956 | Site where first Florida Constitution was drafted in 1838 | ||||||||||||
| acres (25 ha) | 1965 | National Historic Landmark and one of the oldest continuously occupied pre-Columbian sites in Florida | ||||||||||||
| acres (12,150 ha) | 2004 | Rare spring-fed estuary | ||||||||||||
| acres (405 ha) | 1991 | Named for a Miami teacher whose family owned key land | ||||||||||||
| acres (32 ha) | 1921 | none | Second Seminole War battle where 105 of 108 troops were massacred by 180 Native Americans | |||||||||||
| acres (981 ha) | 1982 | Park's name changed in 2001 to honor park activist | ||||||||||||
| acres (243 ha) | 1982 | "Old Methuselah" is a 500-year-old bald cypress; previously a private park with Jungle Cruise; 19 million gallons (72 million liters) of 72F water daily | ||||||||||||
| acres (2 ha) | 2003 | none | Site of Hernando de Soto 1539 encampment and Gov. John W. Martin House | |||||||||||
| acres (808 ha) | 1996 | Very rare freshwater lake among coastal dunes | ||||||||||||
| acres (67 ha) | 1981 | Barrier island with white sugar sand beach | ||||||||||||
| acres (27 ha) | 1974 | sinkhole pond | 120-foot (36.6 m) deep, 500-foot (152.4 m) wide sinkhole accessed by 232 step stairway | |||||||||||
| acres (93 ha) | 1985 | Barrier island accessible only by boat or ferry[19] | ||||||||||||
| acres (126 ha) | 1973 | Formerly known as John U Loyd State Park | ||||||||||||
| acres (132 ha) | 1989 | none | Shows agricultural development in Florida from the 1850s through the mid-1940s | |||||||||||
| acres (2,430 ha) | 2001 | St. Johns River Dunns Creek | Steamboat stop during the 1920s | |||||||||||
| acres (1,840 ha) | 1989 | Confederate deserters camped here and assisted Union blockcade ships during the Civil War | ||||||||||||
| acres (66 ha) | 1968 | Tucker Bayou | Restored plantation house with Louis XVI style furniture | |||||||||||
| acres (2,430 ha) | 1968 | One of the largest and deepest freshwater springs in the world | ||||||||||||
| acres (133 ha) | 1974 | The ruins of Fort Dade and Egmont Key Light are inside the park | ||||||||||||
| acres (4,050 ha) | 1974 | The first aquatic nature preserve established in Florida | ||||||||||||
| acres (30,375 ha) | 1975 | none | Part of the Big Cypress National Preserve in the Everglades | |||||||||||
| acres (69 ha) | 1962 | 2-acre pond | Contains a 73-foot (22.3 m) waterfall, tallest in Florida | |||||||||||
| Fanning Springs State Park | Gilchrist | acres (578 ha) | 1997 | Fanning Springs Suwannee River | A first magnitude spring purchased by the state in 1993 | |||||||||
| Faver-Dykes State Park | St. Johns | acres (2,448 ha) | 1950 | Pellicer Creek | A wilderness area | |||||||||
| Florida Caverns State Park | Jackson | acres (527 ha) | 1942 | Chipola River | The only Florida state park with public cave tours | |||||||||
| Forest Capital Museum State Park | Taylor | acres (6 ha) | 1967 | none | Includes a late 1800s Florida cracker homestead | |||||||||
| acres (578 ha) | 1935 | Amelia River | Construction of Fort Clinch began in 1847 | |||||||||||
| acres (287 ha) | 1977 | Lake Holathlikaha | On the Withlacoochee State Trail | |||||||||||
| acres (12 ha) | 1935 | none | Part of Hillsborough River State Park; replica fort built in 1972 | |||||||||||
| acres (648 ha) | 1949 | Hurricane Dora connected Anastasia Island and Conch Island in 1964 | ||||||||||||
| acres (10 ha) | 2005 | none | National Historic Landmark originally known as Gracia Real de Santa Teresa de Mosé | |||||||||||
| acres (138 ha) | 1973 | Used for frogman training during World War II | ||||||||||||
| acres (35 ha) | 1974 | Pre-civil war fort abandoned, restoration began in the late 1960s by volunteers | ||||||||||||
| acres (145 ha) | 1966 | Named in honor of United States Air Force Colonel who preserved site | ||||||||||||
| miles (26 km) | 1989 | Passes through Paynes Prairie | ||||||||||||
| acres (35 ha) | 1927 | Sole surviving antebellum mansion in south Florida, once a 3,500-acre (1,416 ha) sugarcane plantation | ||||||||||||
| acres (58 ha) | 1961 | Renamed from Flagler Beach State Recreation Area in 1992 | ||||||||||||
| acres (52 ha) | 1983 | Gasparilla Island Lights were lit in 1890 | ||||||||||||
| ft (2,440 m) | 1999 | Pedestrian-only fishing bridge | - | see Mike Roess Gold Head Branch State Park --> | ||||||||||
| acres (165 ha) | 2017 | Several springs in the park, including a second magnitude spring with 44 million gallons (167 million liters) per day. | ||||||||||||
| acres (891 ha) | 1968 | Popular pristine beach offers cabins & camping, boating, fishing and trails | ||||||||||||
| acres (90 ha) | 1983 | U.S. Air Force Clausen Tracking site until 1951 | ||||||||||||
| acres (3,640 ha) | 1931 | none | One of the highest ranking parks in Florida for endemic biodiversity | |||||||||||
| acres (1,370 ha) | 1935 | Fort Foster is inside the park | ||||||||||||
| acres (85 ha) | 1984 | Home to numerous manatees | ||||||||||||
| acres (1,128 ha) | 1975 | Easily accessible by bridge from Dunedin | ||||||||||||
| acres (667 ha) | 1960 | Accessible only by ferry or boat[20] | ||||||||||||
| acres (73 ha) | 1941 | Park is in the middle of urban Fort Lauderdale | ||||||||||||
| acres (908 ha) | 1972 | Drift tubing and certified cave diving | ||||||||||||
| acres (4 ha) | 1972 | First county seat for Dade County; accessible only by boat[21] | ||||||||||||
| acres (132 ha) | 1989 | Lake Worth Atlantic Ocean | A gift from John D. MacArthur to the people of Florida | |||||||||||
| acres (0 ha) | 1958 | none | Physician John Gorrie patented the first mechanical refrigeration process (air conditioning) | |||||||||||
| acres (21,465 ha) | 1963 | First underwater park in the United States | ||||||||||||
| acres (4,658 ha) | 1950 | Formerly a top-secret radar training school during WWII; now hosts the Elsa Kimbell Environmental Education & Research Center | ||||||||||||
| see Dagny Johnson Key Largo Hammock Botanical State Park | ||||||||||||||
| acres (21,870 ha) | 1997 | none | The U.S. Army used the land to train B-17 bomber crews during World War II | |||||||||||
| acres (55 ha) | 1983 | Home of the Koreshan Unity group | ||||||||||||
| acres (284 ha) | 2005 | First magnitude spring with 168 million gallons (636 million liters) per day | ||||||||||||
| acres (234 ha) | 1968 | Connects Oklawaha to Lake Griffin | ||||||||||||
| acres (41 ha) | 1966 | Fort Walton Culture capital from 1050 to 1500 | ||||||||||||
| acres (342 ha) | 1995 | Lake June in Winter | Limited facilities; still under development | |||||||||||
| acres (2,402 ha) | 1977 | Lake Kissimmee | The 1876 Cow Camp is a living history site with Cracker Cowboys | |||||||||||
| acres (1,771 ha) | 1974 | Lake Louisa | Park includes the Green Swamp and six lakes | |||||||||||
| acres (225 ha) | 1970 | 60-site campground was opened in 1986 | ||||||||||||
| acres (213 ha) | 1971 | Lake Talquin is a 10,000 acre (4,047 ha) reservoir created by the Jackson Bluff Dam on the Ochlockonee River | ||||||||||||
| acres (76 ha) | 1998 | Site of the tallest prehistoric, Native American ceremonial earthwork mound in Florida | ||||||||||||
| acres (4,245 ha) | 1971 | Access via private boat or tour boat; daily visitors are limited[22] | ||||||||||||
| acres (985 ha) | 1974 | Park includes equestrian trails and campsites | ||||||||||||
| acres (648 ha) | 1949 | Part of Talbot Islands State Parks | ||||||||||||
| acres (391 ha) | 1969 | Grand resort was destroyed by the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935 | ||||||||||||
| acres (288 ha) | 1983 | Lovers Key State Park merged with Carl Johnson County Park in 1996 | ||||||||||||
| acres (7,049 ha) | 1976 | Wildlife corridor to the Ocala National Forest | ||||||||||||
| acres (4 ha) | 1970 | Named for the owners who donated it to the state in 1948 | ||||||||||||
| acres (1 ha) | 2000 | First magnitude spring | ||||||||||||
| acres (989 ha) | 1949 | First magnitude spring | ||||||||||||
| acres (40 ha) | 1970 | none | 1930s farm and citrus orchard | |||||||||||
| acres (810 ha) | 1935 | Little Lake Johnson | Hiking and Equestrian trails | |||||||||||
| acres (46 ha) | 1970 | Accessible only by boat - no facilities[23] | ||||||||||||
| acres (14,985 ha) | 1941 | Myakka River Upper Myakka Lake | Land partly donated by Bertha Palmer, pioneer farmer, rancher & developer | |||||||||||
| acres (46 ha) | 1949 | Site of the second largest Civil War battle in Florida | ||||||||||||
| acres (216 ha) | 1984 | Metal pieces from the wreck of the North Western, which sank prior to World War II, have emerged on the beach | ||||||||||||
| acres (85 ha) | 2007 | Battle site during the Second Seminole War | ||||||||||||
| acres (2,430 ha) | 1940 | Santa Fe River | Many facilities built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s | |||||||||||
| acres (159 ha) | 1970 | Many older trees show scars from turpentine industry | ||||||||||||
| acres (422 ha) | 1986 | Park has high numbers of the invasive species Casuarina (Australian pine) | ||||||||||||
| Baker | acres (17 ha) | 1949 | none | First State Historic Monument in 1909 | ||||||||||
| Franklin | acres (1 ha) | 2001 | House built in 1838 | |||||||||||
| Sarasota | acres (567 ha) | 1956 | South Creek Lake Osprey | Major habitat of the Florida Scrub Jay | ||||||||||
| Hardee | acres (166 ha) | 1981 | Paynes Creek | Site of Fort Chokonikla and the Kennedy-Darling trading post during the Seminole Wars | ||||||||||
| acres (8,505 ha) | 1971 | Lake Wauburg | Savanna formerly occupied by Seminole Indians | - | see Wes Skiles Peacock Springs State Park --> | |||||||||
| acres (117 ha) | 1978 | A barrier island | ||||||||||||
| acres (389.42 ha) | 2002 | Sinkhole lakes | Contains woodland, marsh, scrub, scrubby flatwoods, and sinkhole lakes | |||||||||||
| acres (170 ha) | 1970 | Mill Creek Sandy Creek | 14 million gallons (53 million liters) of 68F water outflow daily | |||||||||||
| acres (1,578 ha) | 2003 | Part of Talbot Islands State Parks | ||||||||||||
| acres (596 ha) | 1990 | 600 million gallons (2.3 billion liters) of 68F water outflow daily | ||||||||||||
| acres (24 ha) | 1934 | Gardens built by Works Progress Administration in 1933 | ||||||||||||
| acres (1,823 ha) | 1974 | Santa Fe River | Location where Santa Fe River reemerges after 3 miles (4.8 km) underground | |||||||||||
| acres (5,731 ha) | 1983 | Joins Wekiwa Spring run to create the Wekiva River | ||||||||||||
| acres (1,620 ha) | 1916 | Became the nucleus of Everglades National Park in 1934 | - | see Fred Gannon Rocky Bayou State Park --> | ||||||||||
| see Werner-Boyce Salt Springs State Park --> | ||||||||||||||
| acres (2,981 ha) | 1974 | small water bodies | A mature Florida forest and wildlife habitat with hiking, biking, and horse trails | |||||||||||
| acres (7 ha) | 1964 | History of this national landmark dates to 1528 | ||||||||||||
| acres (261 ha) | 1989 | Dutch-built ship sank in a hurricane on July 13, 1733 | ||||||||||||
| acres (2,430 ha) | 1977 | Area around Jensen Beach was known as the "Pineapple Capital of the World" from 1895 to 1920 | ||||||||||||
| acres (2,981 ha) | 1992 | Indian River lagoon | Four different natural habitats within short distance | |||||||||||
| acres (306 ha) | 1970 | Park never closes; second most visited Florida park | ||||||||||||
| acres (2,025 ha) | 1987 | The headspring area was the focal point of Silver Springs Nature Theme Park, a now-defunct commercial attraction | ||||||||||||
| ft (10,530 m) | 1994 | Utilizes approaches to old Sunshine Skyway Bridge, following the 1980 collision by MV Summit Venture and construction of a new bridge | ||||||||||||
| acres (486 ha) | 1950 | Gulf of Mexico Grand Lagoon | Named "America's Best Beach" in 1995 | |||||||||||
| acres (795 ha) | 1963 | Named "6th Best Beach in America" for 2011 after Hurricane Dennis destroyed the facilities in 2005 | - | see T.H. Stone Memorial St. Joseph Peninsula State Park --> | ||||||||||
| acres (376 ha) | 1965 | Barrier island accessible only by boat[24] | ||||||||||||
| acres (1,049 ha) | 2007 | The St. Marks River flows from the wetlands east of Tallahassee to the Gulf of Mexico | ||||||||||||
| acres (8,910 ha) | 1995 | The Hernández–Capron Trail was built to link St. Augustine with Fort Pierce during the Second Seminole War | ||||||||||||
| acres (324 ha) | 1950 | Carillon tower with 97 tubular bells plays Foster's songs every day | ||||||||||||
| acres (99 ha) | 1971 | Day park consisting of three islands offer swimming and boating, shelling and hiking, fishing and diving | ||||||||||||
| acres (729 ha) | 1951 | The 1860 Columbus Cemetery, pieces from an 1800s sawmill, and Civil War earthworks are points of interest | ||||||||||||
| acres (770 ha) | 1967 | Dedicated to the former owner, who sold it to the U.S. Army in World War II | ||||||||||||
| Talbot Islands State Parks | 1949, 2003 | See Big Talbot Island State Park, Little Talbot Island State Park, and Pumpkin Hill Creek Preserve State Park. | ||||||||||||
| acres (1,737 ha) | 1998 | Limited facilities; nature trails, picnic tables and a bathroom | ||||||||||||
| acres (783 ha) | 2000? | Land acquired by the state and Southwest Florida Water Management District | ||||||||||||
| acres (278 ha) | 1955 | Chattahoochee River | The 1947 Jim Woodruff Dam created Lake Seminole; the outflow is the Apalachicola River | |||||||||||
| acres (729 ha) | 1945 | Urban park completely surrounded by development | ||||||||||||
| acres (665 ha) | 1992 | Site of munitions testing range during World War II | ||||||||||||
| acres (5,563 ha) | 1935 | Park named after the endangered Torreya tree | ||||||||||||
| acres (34 ha) | 1995 | First magnitude spring; the Civil War steamboat "Madison" was scuttled there in 1863 | ||||||||||||
| acres (12,468 ha) | 2005 | Accessible only by boat; no recreational facilities[25] | - | see Edward Ball Wakulla Springs State Park --> | ||||||||||
| acres (9 ha) | 1964 | Park has formal gardens, citrus groves and house | ||||||||||||
| acres (218 ha) | 2008 | The headspring area features underwater performances by female dancers in mermaid costumes | ||||||||||||
| acres (3,128 ha) | 1969 | 42 million gallons (159 million liters) of 72F water outflow daily | ||||||||||||
| acres (1,377 ha) | 2001 | Named for the Werner-Boyce Preserve purchased by Pasco County in 1994; undeveloped | ||||||||||||
| acres (297 ha) | 1986 | 28,000 feet (8,534 m) of explored passageways make it one of the largest locations for cave diving in the U.S. | ||||||||||||
| acres (13 ha) | 1986 | Quary provided Keystone (limestone) for the Overseas Railroad in 1908 | ||||||||||||
| acre (0 ha) | 1976 | none | Shows the history of Tampa's cigar industry and Latin influence | |||||||||||
| acres (648 ha) | 1949 | Confederate camp constructed during the American Civil War | ||||||||||||
| acres (4,455 ha) | 2000 | One of Florida's last remaining tracts of wet prairie; no recreation facilities | ||||||||||||
| acres (2 ha) | 1953 | Senator David Levy Yulee built the mill on his 5,100-acre (2,064 ha) plantation, Margarita, in 1851 |